


Fatherly discipline

by alphabetgirl



Series: Discipline [1]
Category: The Greatest Showman (2017)
Genre: Awesome big sister lettie, Family, Father-Son Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, No Slash, Spanking, protective dad P.T, protective mother charity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-03
Updated: 2018-11-03
Packaged: 2019-08-17 06:37:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16511180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alphabetgirl/pseuds/alphabetgirl
Summary: Phillip has been taking a lot of unnecessary risks and putting himself in danger. Charity and Lettie decide that he needs to be taught a lesson.





	Fatherly discipline

"This is the final straw, Phin. Something really needs to be done," Charity hissed, pacing back and forth on the polished floorboards of the Barnum family home, her skirts swishing behind her.

"I know," Phineas sighed exasperatedly, pinching the bridge of his nose to try to ward off the approaching migraine.

"First there was the fire..."

"To be fair, he was trying to save Anne's life. If I thought you were trapped in a fire, I wouldn't have done anything differently,"

Charity shot him a look before continuing.

"And then there was the incident with Anne and the second storey balcony, and now this!,"

"Wait, what incident with the second storey balcony?"

"Anne mentioned it to me this afternoon. It was before the fire, after his parents saw them together. She was trying to distance herself from him by climbing up the trapeze ropes so our junior ringmaster took it upon himself to jump off a second storey balcony and onto her rope in order to get to her,"

"He did what!"

"Risked breaking his neck to get to Anne, albeit she wasn't in danger on that occasion. My point is, something needs to be done to stop him taking these unnecessary risks. O.K, maybe he can't really be held to account over running into a fire, but there have been five incidents this month alone where he has stupidly put himself at risk. Something needs to be done," Charity said, keeping her voice hushed so that Phillip, who was currently upstairs playing with the girls, wouldn't hear.

"I know, but I don't know what," Phineas said. "I've tried talking to him..."

"We all have. And so far it has accomplished nothing," Charity replied, hesitating for a moment before continuing. "He needs discipline,"

"Discipline? Discipline as in...?"

Charity nodded, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth in agitation.

"No! Absolutely not, he's an adult. He's..."

"Our son," Charity finished "Or as good as, anyway. And if he carries on down this reckless track, he is going to get himself killed. Phin, that would destroy me, and you, and the girls, Anne, the circus. He needs a shock. Something to make him realise that we are not going to stand for him carrying on like this. His own father never paid him any attention, but a bit of discipline from you might just get through to him,"

"Charity, I..."

"If you don't do this, I will,"

"Or I will,"

The sound of Lettie's voice made the ring master jump and turn around, locating the songstress standing in the entrance to the dining room. The woman smirked at his surprise, leaning her back against the doorframe and folding her arms over her bosom.

"When did you get here?" He asked.

"About five minutes ago. The front door was wide open. I did knock but you two were deep in discussion, so much so that you didn't notice,"

"How much did you hear?"

"Enough. And I meant what I said. If you don't spank some sense into that boy, I will. Charity and I just thought it would be more effective and less embarrassing for him if you did it,".

Phineas sighed, faced with two headstrong women who had made it clear that they were not going to back down. Plus, he had to admit that they did have a very valid point.

"Fine. I'll do it,"

Charity smiled sadly and went up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek.

"Thank you," she whispered before stepping back. 

"Today?" Phineas asked.

"Today." Lettie said firmly "I know you, Barnum, If you don't do it straight away you will carry on stalling and making up excuses and trying to find a way out of it,"

"Lettie and I are taking the girls out for afternoon tea. We'll be out for over an hour, which should give you enough time," Charity said, walking into the hallway and gathering up the girls' coats, hats and scarves. "Did you get it?" she asked, turning to Lettie.

"Yep," Lettie took the cardboard box that Phineas hadn't realised that she had been holding under her arm and held it out to him. "You'll be needing this,"

Phineas took it and lifted the lid before staring, dumbstruck for a few seconds. "Oh come on, ladies. Seriously?" he said, holding up the large paddle brush. 

"Seriously," the two women chorused, deadpan.

Phillip followed Caroline and Helen downstairs when Charity called for them, and helped them to don their coats and scarves before standing at the door to wave them off. Watching him, Phineas was reminded of a oblivious little lamb being left in the slaughter house, and felt a flicker of guilt at what he was about to do. 'It's for the best. It's so he doesn't get himself killed. So we don't lose him.'

“I need a word with you.” Phineas said in a soft but firm tone. “In the lounge,”

“Is this about what happened today,” Phillip asked sheepishly as soon as he was sat on the couch, chewing his bottom lip.

“Yes. And all of the other times you’ve been unbelievably reckless,” Phineas said, raking his hands through his hair in agitation.

“But I was fine. Nothing bad happened,”

“Yes, nothing bad happened this time,” Phineas snapped, taking the younger man aback. He wasn’t used to the ringmaster directing that tone of voice at him. “Nothing bad happened this time, more due to good luck, in fact entirely due to good luck, than good management. You are playing a one man game of Russian roulette, kid, and one day your luck is going to run out.”

“P.T, come on,” Phillip protested.

“No.” Phineas said. “What you don’t understand, Flip, is that if the worst happens, you aren’t the one who will have to really experience the consequences. That will be me, Charity, the girls, our circus family, Anne. We will be the ones left grieving for you, standing at your graveside, wondering how we are supposed to carry on and live the rest of our lives without you,”

Phillip looked down, swallowing a few times before responding in a shaky voice. “You’re scaring me,”

“I’m not trying to,” Phineas said in a soft voice, crouching down in front of his boy, his son and gently taking hold of his wrists, rubbing them gently with his thumbs. “But you scared us. Today and on all of those other occasions. You seem to think that you are invincible and you are really not, Flip.”

He paused, taking a deep breath before carrying on.

“We have tried talking to you about it, which hasn’t worked. So we’ve decided that the only option left is to---punish you.”

“Punish me how?” Phillip asked suspiciously.

“Spanking,”.

Phillip laughed humourlessly. “This is a joke isn’t it? Some kind of prank to stop me acting recklessly,”

“No. Believe me, I am being deadly serious,”

“You can’t spank me. I’m a grown man,” Phillip said, getting to his feet, despite Phineas’ attempt to keep him seated, and storming towards the door.

“Phillip, it’s either I do this now, or Charity or Lettie will do it later. They’ve both shown that they are ready and willing,”

Phillip paused. “They wouldn’t be able to do it,” he scoffed “They don’t have the strength,”

“True. But I doubt that they would have any qualms about enlisting W.D or Constantine. Like it or not, this is happening, one way or another, son. They asked me to do it first because they thought that it would be less embarrassing for you.”

Phineas watched as the young man’s shoulders slumped in defeat and he sloped back over to the sofa, lower lip sticking out a bit in the beginning of a pout. Chuckling, Phineas walked over to the sofa and holding one arm out invitingly. Phillip snuggled up against his side, resting his head on his shoulder.

“Can’t we just lie and tell them that you did it,”

Despite himself Phineas let out a bark of laughter.

“Nice try, kiddo, but Chairy is the one person that I have never been able to lie too. Besides. I kind of agree that they have a point. If you carry on down this track, you are going to end up badly injured, or worse, and none of us could bear that,” he reached up with his free hand and stroked the young man’s cheek lightly before patting his shoulder.

“Come on. Let’s get this over with. Stand up and pull your pants down,”

Phillip remained frozen by his side, not moving at all.

“Flip, please don’t make this harder than it has to be for us,” he sighed, giving him a nudge.

Slowly, the junior ringmaster stood up, a blush rising up his neck as he fumbled with the button on his trousers before pulling his pants down below his knees.

“You don’t want me to take off my…”

“No, no, just trousers is fine. Now, over my lap,”

Unable to meet the other man’s eyes, Phillip clambered back onto the sofa, manoeuvring himself so that he was lying across Phineas’ lap with his face pressed into the velvet upholstery. Phineas gave him a couple of moments to get as comfortable as possible before hooking one of his legs over the young man’s, effectively keeping him in place.

“Hey, hey,” he soothed as he noticed that Phillip was shaking like a leaf. “It’s going to be alright,”

Not wanting to drag it out any longer than he had to, he raised his hand and brought it down on his left cheek, causing the former playwright to jump and suck in a harsh breath. Stealing himself, Phineas did it again and again, peppering the young man’s backside with sharp slaps, alternating between the right and left cheek, finding a rhythm. When he started on the sit spot, Phillip couldn’t stifle the yelps anymore and reached back with one hand to try to stop him.

“Come now. None of that,” Phineas said firmly, gripping the boy’s wrists in his free hand and pinning them to the small of his back.

“It hurts,” Phillip moaned.

“I know, buddy, I know,”

After delivering another ten hard smacks to the young man’s rear, Phineas reached for the paddle brush and gave him the same treatment. Each hard smack of the brush was punctuated with gasps and small yelps as Phillip began to writhe.

“I know it’s hard, but try to stay still,” Phineas said quietly, gritting his teeth when the boy’s back began to quiver, showing that he had surrendered to tears.

“I’m sorry,” Phillip said, voice thick with tears after a couple more spanks to his sit spot.

“I know you are, son,” Phineas murmured. “I know. Nearly done,”

He gave him another ten smacks with the paddle brush before stopping, setting the brush aside and rubbing the small of his back soothingly as Phillip sobbed into the sofa cushion.

“That’s it. It’s all done now,” he comforted, pulling the man’s trousers back up gently. “There you go, good boy,”

“I’m sorry,” Phillip hiccupped, beginning to push himself up from the sofa.

“Shhh,” Phineas hushed, scooping the smaller man up into arms and holding him close “It’s alright. I forgive you, It’s alright, shhh, I’m here, I’ve got you,”

For a long time, the ring master just sat and held him while he sobbed into his shoulder, rocking him, stroking his hair and making soothing noises in his ear while he calmed, the sobs slowing and eventually reducing into just the occasional sniffle.

“Are you alright now?,” Phineas asked.

“Yeah,”

“No more reckless behaviour from you, young man,” Phineas murmured, pressing a kiss to the raven hair. 

Phillip nodded his agreement and snuggled closer.

“I’m sorry,” he said again.

“Stop saying that. It’s forgotten about,” Phineas answered, stroking a hand down his back and starting to rock him again, smiling affectionately when the other man’s eyes began to droop.

“Tired?”

Phillip yawned, the spanking having taken a lot out of him.

“That answers that question,” Phineas chuckled. “Why don’t you stay here tonight,”

“Hmmm, o.k.” Phillip agreed sleepily.

Phineas guided him upstairs into one of the guest bedrooms, the one that had pretty much become Phillip’s over the recent months and got him settled in the bed, fussing with the covers, pulling them up to his chin to keep him warm.

“I’ll get you a glass of water,” he said, realising that the young man’s voice was still hoarse from the sobbing.

Phillip was just about asleep by the time he came back with it, battling to hold his eyes open.

“Awww,” Phineas cooed, setting the glass down on the bedside table and brushing a strand of hair away from his boy’s face before leaning down and pressing a kiss to his forehead. “I love you, buddy”.

“Love you too, Dad,”.


End file.
